'Emergency handbrake' needed on sickness benefits, Blair think tank says

The government should introduce an "emergency handbrake" to cut the number of people who are receiving health and disability benefits, a think tank says.

The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) says people diagnosed with conditions such as mild depression or ADHD should not be eligible for cash benefits.

It argues such conditions should be classed as "non-work limiting" - with people offered support rather than money.

Ministers said they would "consider the report" but learning disability charity Scope called the proposals "deeply unhelpful and ill-informed."

The government tabled plans to restrict eligibility for disability benefits last year, but ended up largely gutting its own plans after a revolt from Labour MPs.

It says it remains committed to making sure the system is "fit for the future", but this work now depends on a review led by Social Security Minister Sir Stephen Timms, expected later this year.

With 1,000 people a day becoming eligible for health and disability benefits, the Conservatives and Reform UK have urged more restrictive qualification criteria, particularly for people with conditions such as anxiety.

In March, the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast that spending on health and sickness benefits for working age people would reach £78.1bn by 2029-30, a 15% increase on this year.

The TBI argues that the government should immediately implement a series of changes to reduce the number of people claiming these benefits.

The think tank, which was set up by the former PM and describes itself as non-partisan, says ministers should create a new category of "non-work limiting conditions", which would apply to anxiety or stress-related disorders.

Researchers also said the new category should cover lower back pain, common musculoskeletal conditions and neurodevelopmental disorders where evidence shows they are compatible with work.

They say these changes could be introduced without the the need for a full act of Parliament, whilst more detailed reform proposals are developed.

They have also suggested every claimant should have a diagnosis for a condition before applying for benefits, with more frequent and rigorous reassessment of those on sickness benefits.

While they have been unable to say how much these measures would save, or how many recipients would lose their entitlement to benefits, they say savings should be re-invested into employment support and treatment, particularly for mental health and musculoskeletal conditions.

"The system is drawing too many people into long-term dependency for conditions that are often treatable and compatible with work, and not doing enough to support recovery," said Dr Charlotte Refsu, a former GP and director of health policy at the institute.

"Clarity about what isn't a work-limiting condition ensures people get the treatment and support they need.

"A system that leaves people on benefits without timely treatment or a route back to work is not compassionate – it is bad for the country and bad for people's health."

Polling of more than 4,000 adults across Great Britain, conducted by YouGov for the TBI, suggests 54% of voters believe the welfare system is too easy to access, and does not do enough to prevent misuse.

Supporting people into appropriate work, rather than giving them benefits, would have several advantages, say the researchers, including reducing social isolation and increasing mobility and independence.

But Scope, a learning disability charity, said the proposals ignored the "lived reality of people with a learning disability and plays to a populist trope about welfare".

Its chief executive Jon Holmes said: "Slapping labels on people and denying them benefits will not tackle the root cause.

"It will push people into deeper anxiety, misery and poverty. That's not reform, it's a recipe for making things worse."

Earlier this month the government cut the amount that new claimants can receive for the health-related element of Universal Credit by up to 50%.

The Department for Work and Pensions said it had already "rebalanced" Universal Credit to save £1bn.

A spokesperson for the department added it had also "increased face-to-face assessments and improved use of NHS evidence - all while ensuring those who genuinely can't work are always protected".

"We will consider the TBI's report," they added.